If you are arrested for DUI in Montgomery County, Indiana you are probably worried about jail time, losing your driver’s license, and what will happen at the initial hearing. The first step in dealing with the stress is to contact a Crawfordsville DUI attorney. Located in nearby Lafayette, Gibson Law Office has extensive experience defending DUI charges in Montgomery County and can give you specific feedback on what to expect.
In Montgomery County, DUI charges are filed in Superior Court 2. When you are arrested for DUI, the jail takes your driver’s license and gives you a temporary receipt to drive with. When the formal charges are filed, the court will order your driver’s license suspended for 180 days as required by Indiana law. You will be required by forfeit the driver’s license receipt at the initial hearing.
An Experienced OWI Lawyer Can Help Get You Back on the Road
If you are working, it is possible to get your driver’s license suspension reduced to 30 days, it if is followed by a 180 days restricted license. A restricted license will allow you to drive for work and any other purposes approved by the court. If you are arrested for Operating While Intoxicated, it is important to obtain legal counsel immediately, because your license will be suspended while the case is pending.
At the initial hearing, the court will order the State to provide you with a copy of the evidence in your case within 10 days. This will include the police reports, breath test or blood draw results, and any in-car videos. Police must follow strict rules in DUI investigation. It is important for a DUI attorney to analyze the evidence to identify possible defenses to the traffic stop or admission of the breath test. If you have valid defenses to the DUI evidence, it’s important to pursue those aggressively.
Most plea agreements in OWI cases in Montgomery County determine the total sentence and executed time, but leave the terms of probation up to the court. Thus, when negotiating a plea agreement in a Montgomery County OWI case, the attorney seeks to obtain an agreement that eliminates jail time and reduces the 180 day license suspension. However, an experienced OWI attorney also knows that the defendant must be prepared to testify at the sentencing regarding what the terms of probation will be. Relevant evidence includes your criminal history, work schedule, ability to pay for fines and services, and specific details about your case. Even if you accept a plea agreement that avoids jail time, it is important to be prepared to present evidence at your guilty plea/sentencing hearing.
If you are in need of a Crawfordsville OWI attorney, call Gibson Law Office in nearby Lafayette. We have handled criminal cases in more than 50 Indiana counties, and we have significant experience defending OWI cases in Montgomery County. We only handle criminal cases and understand the Montgomery County local rules. We have a team of attorneys that handle numerous OWI cases every year, with the local experience needed to successfully defend cases on Montgomery County.